With security breaches to LinkedIn and eHarmony putting some 8 million users’ passwords at risk, it’s time to ask yourself how secure your password is.
Let’s face it. Many people are just lazy with their passwords, whether it’s to a website or to unlock their smartphones. They don’t want to think too hard about it. Chances are you or someone you know has a 1234 password for their iPhone or Android.
Security firm Rapid7 came up with a list of the top 30 common passwords used on LinkedIn for MSNBC.com. The list was created using a sample of the 6.5 million LinkedIn passwords released on the Internet. The most common entry to appear was “link.” The second most common entry was “1234.” LinkedIn requires a seven charachter password, so these were only part of the full password.
Bob Sullivan from MSNBC.com suggests coming up with a sentence you can easily remember, then take the first letter of each word and make that your password. Example:
My daughter Julie was born on November 1
Your password would be: MdJwboN1
Sullivan also suggests adding an exclamation point at the end to make it even more unique.
For my smartphone, I went to the extreme of an eight number password. I picked them at random and forced myself to memorize them. Yes, it takes a little longer to type out, but if a thief gets a hold of it, I know he or she won't be able to guess it.
Here is Rapid7’s top 30 list of most common items found in the hacked LinkedIn passwords. (Warning: a couple of these could be considered offensive)
1. link
2. 1234
3. work
4. god
5. job
6. 12345
7. angel
8. :the
9. Ilove
10. sex
11. jesus
12. connect
13. Fu**
14. monkey
15. 123456
16. master
17. bitch
18. dick
19. michael
20. jordan
21. dragon
22. soccer
23. killer
24. 654321
25. pepper
26. Devil
27. princess
28. 1234567
29. Iloveyou
30. career
